This invention relates to protective padding to absorb impacts. More particularly, this invention relates to a system for protecting a spine of a user. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a spinal protection system that is flexible to allow a user to move with minimal restriction and is breathable to allow perspiration to escape from the body of a user.
Many sports and occupations require safety equipment such as padding that protects the users from impacts that occur. Some examples of sports where padding is needed include but are not limited to bicycling, football, hockey, in-line skating, skiing and snowboarding. An example of an occupation that requires safety equipment is construction. Designers of such safety equipment face a number of obstacles.
One particular area of concern for designers of safety equipment is the spine. A spinal protector must provide acceptable protection for the spine. The spinal protector should also be flexible to allow a user to flex and bend in a natural manner with minimal impedance. A spinal protector should also be lightweight in order to not overburden the user. Furthermore, a spinal protector should also be breathable to allow perspiration and heat to escape from the body of the user. Although there are a number of spinal protection systems in the art, heretofore prior art spinal protectors do not adequately satisfy these requirements.
One type of prior art spinal protector is described in WO Document 99/0030. This spinal protector is made by thermoforming a fabric in the shape of a spine and injecting foam into a pocket formed in the fabric. This system does not have the desired flexibility, and the thermoformed material does not allow perspiration to adequately escape.
A second type of prior art spinal protector is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,328,447 issued Jul. 12, 1994 to Kapounek et al. This spinal protection device is made of rigid interlocking plates with a padding of energy-absorbing material underneath the plates. The rigid plates hinder movement and prevent perspiration from escaping.
A third type of prior art spinal protector is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,768,717 issued Jun. 23, 1998 to Le Sueur. This spinal protector is made of segments that are designed to be placed in a stepped manner over the spinal column. The steps allow the segments to slidably cooperate with one another to allow flexing of the spine. The segments are filled with a fluid material that will absorb the force of impacts. One problem with this design is that the segments must be made of material that can contain the fluid. Therefore, this design is not breathable. A second problem is that the flexibility provided by the stepped segments is inadequate and hinders movement of the user.
Therefore, there is a need in the art for a spinal protector that provides sufficient protection of the spine, flexibility to allow movement, and is breathable to allow perspiration to escape.
The above and other problems are solved and an advance in the art is made by a spinal protection system of this invention. This spinal protection system is flexible in that the system allows a user to bend with minimal hindrance. The protection system in accordance with this invention also braces the back to prevent the spine from being bent over backwards in an undesirable direction. A spinal protection system in accordance with this invention also allows perspiration to escape. Therefore, this spinal protection system may be included into a garment.
In accordance with this invention, a spinal protection system is configured in the following manner. The spinal protection system has a pad of flexible, energy-absorbing material that receives and dissipates energy of an impact. The pad has an inner side that is proximate a back of a user, an outer side opposite said inner side, a first side perpendicular to a longitudinal axis and a second side perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to a spine of a user.
Pairs of wings are cut into the pad on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis. The wings on the same side of the pad are separated by gaps between the wings to provide space for movement. Score lines are cut into the pad along the longitudinal axis between mated pairs of wings to facilitate movement of the pad with movement of a spine of a user. In a preferred embodiment, the score lines are substantially circular. The circular score lines are sized to have a diameter such that the score lines intersect junctions of adjoining wings on each side of the pad.
In a preferred embodiment, the energy absorbing material is a bi-density foam with a first layer of low-density foam and a second layer of high-density foam. The low-density foam on the first layer is on the inner side of the pad. The high-density foam is on the outer side of the pad. In the preferred embodiment, the score lines are cut through the second layer of high-density foam. Also, the pad may be formed to have an s-shaped curvature in a preferred embodiment to conform to the shape of a human spine.
In a preferred embodiment, the wings have opposing sides slanted inwards towards each other from an end of each wing proximate the longitudinal axis to an end distal the longitudinal axis. Slanting of the sides of the wings allows enough space in the gaps between the wings to allow adjacent wings to flex back and forth with respect to each other.
The spinal protection system may also have a rigid spine affixed to an outer side of the pad along the longitudinal axis. In one embodiment, the spine is a narrow piece of rigid material. The rigid spine may have cuts through the spine that are mated to the score lines in the pad. The spine may be made of a rigid material such as high-density foam or plastic.
The spinal protection system of this invention may also include a spine reinforcement member made of rigid material that affixes to the rigid spine or a top side of the pad along the longitudinal axis. The spine reinforcement member connects to the spine or pad in the following manner in a preferred embodiment. There is a groove cut along the longitudinal axis in a top side of the spine. Along the groove, the opposing sidewalls have lips proximate the upper edge. An attachment member on a bottom side of the spine reinforcement member mates with and is inserted into the groove. The attachment member may be press fit into the groove in this embodiment.
In a preferred embodiment, the spine reinforcement member is made of multiple segments. Each segment is shaped to correspond to an underlying segment of the pad defined by the score lines. In the preferred embodiment, there are substantially circular segments that fit over circles along the longitudinal axis of the pad defined by the score lines. H-shaped segments having first and second sides with concave curvatures are formed to receive adjacent ones of the substantially circular segments and fit over segments of the pad between the circles defined by the score lines.
In a preferred embodiment, the pad may also have top and bottom members cut into the pad. The top and bottom members have ends that are cut to provide contours that allow flexibility in the neck and lumbar regions of the user.
In a preferred embodiment, the spinal protection system of this invention is inserted into a pocket of a garment on a dorsal side designed to receive the pad. The inner side of the pad is proximate an outer layer of the garment and the outer side is proximate the inner side of an outer layer of the pocket. The inner side of the pad may be to the inner side of the pocket or outer side of the garment. The pad may be removable from the pocket.